Drea Humphrey and Dr. Tom Flanagan assaulted at free-speech event

Both were unharmed after a masked assailant dumped a water bottle on them during an event at the University of Calgary.

Update: A social media post has circulated claiming to identify the attacker; Rebel News has not independently verified the identification. Calgary police say no charges have been laid and the individual has been released, and they will not release the person's name, citing privacy laws.


On Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, at approximately 1:30 p.m., police were called to the University of Calgary for reports of a disturbance involving an information table. During the incident, an individual threw water from a water bottle, striking a person at the table.

University of Calgary Campus Security attended first, separated those involved and remained on scene until police arrived. Officers took the suspect into custody and conducted an investigation. No injuries were reported.

Following the investigation, it was determined that criminal charges would not be pursued, and the individual was released.

As for your questions regarding the individual, as they were not charged, we are not able to share their information due to privacy laws."


A masked individual has been arrested by police after dumping a cup of liquid on Rebel News reporter Drea Humphrey and Dr. Tom Flanagan during a free-speech event at the University of Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.

Humphrey and Flanagan were seated listening to a student's opinions when the person wearing a medical mask dumped what appeared to be the contents of a water bottle on the pair.

The individual was quickly detained by private security accompanying the Canadian Students for Free Speech event.

Both Humphrey and Flanagan, a former professor at the University of Calgary and adviser to Stephen Harper, were unharmed.

The pair then provided statements to the RCMP after being taken to a secure area.

Prior to the assault, a peaceful debate had been occurring for over an hour before a man started yelling and an aggressive mob then formed. The onlookers chanted at security to "let them go."

A statement from The Democracy Fund said "The atmosphere changed when a student approached the table, shouting that the speakers were 'white supremacists' and demanding they leave campus" before others began chanting "get off campus."

"While conversations were still taking place, a masked individual walked up behind the speakers and emptied a full water bottle over Dr. Flanagan's head, soaking Ms. Humphrey as well, before attempting to walk away," the statement said.

"Our speakers sat at a table for ninety minutes and invited anyone who disagreed to make their case, engaging in civil debate. That is what a university is for. The response from a minority of students was to call them names, chant at them, and finally assault them," said executive director Mark Joseph.

William Diaz-Berthiaume, who organized the event as part of the civil liberties group's national campus tour, said the day had been "one of the best" up until the assault.

"A few people decided that argument was not enough and that intimidation was the answer. They will not decide where we go next," added Diaz-Berthiaume, a former Rebel News contributor who now serves as The Democracy Fund's national campus coordinator.

Canadian Students for Free Speech hosts public debate-style free-speech events on campuses across Canada and is a project organized by The Democracy Fund.

Please help Canadian Students for Free Speech!

Canadian universities have become places where students hide from or attack ideas, instead of debating them.

Canadian Students for Free Speech, a project of The Democracy Fund, is changing that. It helps students start free speech clubs on their own campuses, puts a real student handbook in their hands, and runs the MAKE YOUR CASE series — open-table debates where speakers sit down in a public space and invite anyone who disagrees to argue their side. It's the kind of civil, face-to-face argument that universities were built for and that almost none of them allow anymore.

But bringing controversial speakers onto hostile campuses isn't free: venues, travel, printing and security all cost money. Please chip in to help bring open debate to every college and university in Canada.

The Democracy Fund is a registered Canadian charity, so every donation is eligible for a charitable tax receipt.

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COMMENTS

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  • Fran g
    commented 2026-10-01 17:59:06 -0400
    Sad to say this is the state of university students being brainwashed by woke left professors. They will be our legal, (sick) healthcare, police force, politicians etc leading the country in years to come. Lord help up in JiHad Chanada. Alberta wants out.
  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2026-09-29 20:01:41 -0400
    This is Canada. What Mr. Water Bottle did is regarded as “free speech”, and will be defended as such. The speakers, however, held the “wrong” views.
  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2026-09-29 19:24:45 -0400
    Cowards can’t handle the truth.